Implementing Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks: Hands-On

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this course about? Internetworking managers are increasingly relying more on switches than on routers to connect users to the enterprise infrastructure, since switches have grown to be fast, flexible local area network (LAN) devices. With this growing dependency, the ability to efficiently deploy and manage Cisco Layer 2 and multilayer switching is a fundamental requirement for networking professionals. This course provides a comprehensive insight into structured campus area network design with Cisco access and distribution switches. The exercises include the configuration of many switch features including Spanning Tree, VLANs, multilayer switching and HSRP. Who will benefit from this course? This course is valuable for network managers and engineers who are involved in supporting, implementing and designing site networks with Cisco switches. Technical managers, technicians and consultants learn the benefits and costs of switched and routed internetwork deployment. Those responsible for designing, implementing and troubleshooting switched LANs within their organization learn the various tradeoffs associated with Cisco proprietary and industry standard design approaches. What background do I need? Familiarity with IP networking and Cisco router configuration at the level of Course 466, Cisco® Networking: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction, is helpful. For example, you should understand these concepts: IP addressing and subnetting IP routing Cisco IOS configuration My organization wants to improve application performance on our enterprise network. Can switches help us? Yes. The reduced traffic processing requirements of switches, together with their extensive use of high-speed silicon, makes them much more suitable for these situations. Routers within a campus network may not be able to meet the demands of today's increasingly sophisticated applications, such as multicast conferencing, video animation and voice over IP. Will switches meet my requirements for service availability? Switches have inherited the traditional bridging protocols, including Spanning Tree, and the IEEE Standards Committee has enhanced their operation with quality of service prioritization. Therefore, modern switches provide much higher service availability than was possible in the days of legacy bridges. Do switches give me as much control as routers over my enterprise traffic? No. Routers still give superior traffic control and offer greater flexibility for wide area network connection. However, it would be more accurate to view routers and switches as partner enterprise devices rather than as rivals; switches facilitate speedy access to on-site services, while routers provide resilient inter-site connections. How much time is devoted to each topic? Content Hours Switched network review 2.5 Designing distribution networks 2.5 Spanning Tree operation and configuration 4.5 VLANs concepts and configuration 6.5 VLAN optimization 6.0 Inter-VLAN communication 2.5 Multilayer switching and routing 3.5 Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP) 3.0 Times, including the workshops, are estimates; exact times may vary according to the needs of each class. What kinds of hands-on exercises are included in the course? Nearly half of the course is hands-on exercises. The exercises cover a wide range of topics from fundamental aspects of switch deployment to distribution network design, switch-router communications, multilayer switching and HSRP. What platform and software are used in this course? This course uses a Windows XP platform, Cisco 2950 and 5500 switches and Cisco 2600 routers. The course combines generic switching concepts with their configuration on Cisco devices. How will this course prepare me for Cisco certification? If you possess a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification, this course covers much of the multilayer switching component of both the Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP) and the Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP) Professional Level qualifications. How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses? Learning Tree offers other courses that may be of interest to Course 460 participants. If you would like further hands-on experience in Cisco networking, you may be interested in these courses: 451, Network Configuration and Troubleshooting: Hands-On offers the skills necessary to configure networks and resolve problems using a comprehensive set of tools and techniques. 466, Cisco® Networking: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction provides a detailed introduction to IP addressing and routing on Cisco routers. This course teaches the theory of operation of the Cisco router product family. You can then apply this knowledge in developing hands-on, real-world strategies for your organization. 481, Configuring Cisco® Routers: Advanced Hands-On Workshop offers advanced knowledge and skills needed to install, configure and troubleshoot Cisco routers in today's large and complex networks. The goal of this course is to provide a thorough understanding of internetworking in an IP environment using Cisco routers. 364, Switches and Routers: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction provides the essential knowledge required to deploy and use switches and routers in TCP/IP networks.

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